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Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53
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Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53

Published on: August 4, 2019

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Novel p53 therapies for head and neck cancer

Mario R Castellanos1, Quintin Pan2,3

  • 1Division of Research, Department of Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health, Staten Island, NY 10305, United States.

World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
|December 6, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Restoring tumor suppressor p53 function is crucial for treating head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Small molecules show promise for reactivating p53 and improving HNSCC patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Inactivation of the tumor suppressor p53 is a key event in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development.
  • The p53 pathway is compromised in HNSCC via mutations, negative regulator hyperactivation, or HPV E6 protein.
  • Restoring p53 signaling is a potential therapeutic strategy for HNSCC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current strategies for restoring p53 function in HNSCC.
  • To highlight the potential of small molecule therapies targeting p53.
  • To emphasize the need for clinical evaluation of p53-restoring agents in HNSCC.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on p53 pathway alterations in HNSCC.
  • Analysis of viral and small molecule approaches for p53 restoration.
  • Evaluation of pre-clinical data for p53-targeting agents.

Main Results:

  • Viral therapies have shown modest activity in HNSCC clinical trials.
  • Small molecules targeting p53 have demonstrated significant pre-clinical efficacy.
  • Several promising small molecule p53 therapies are awaiting clinical progression.

Conclusions:

  • Restoring p53 function represents a viable therapeutic avenue for HNSCC.
  • Chemical approaches (small molecules) for p53 restoration warrant further development and clinical assessment in HNSCC.
  • Prioritizing the clinical evaluation of small molecule p53 therapies is essential for advancing HNSCC treatment.
Keywords:
Gene therapyHead and neck cancerHuman papillomavirusTumor suppressor p53p53 mutations

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